Allendale United Methodist Church is undertaking a major Community Center Build Back Project to repair hurricane-related damage, restore essential air conditioning, and strengthen the long-term usefulness of one of the most-used parts of our campus. This project focuses primarily on the Community Center, one of Allendale’s most important gathering spaces for hospitality, recovery, justice work, meals, children and family events, arts, organizing, and connection.
Allendale’s campus functions as a true community center for St. Petersburg and Pinellas County. It provides space for recovery and mutual-support groups; LGBTQ+ and trans community gatherings such as Suncoast Squares, TransNetwork, Pride Pathways, Peoples Pride Coalition, Dyke Night Saint Pete, Metro Men’s Group, Drag Bingo, and Pride-related programming; and arts, music, and cultural groups such as Girls Rock, One City Chorus, Sunshine City Chorus, Recorder Group, Gay Men’s Chorus, Second Time Arounders, Renegades, and New Moon Makers Market.
The campus also supports wellness, civic engagement, and justice work through groups and programs such as Tai Chi, the League of Women Voters, Indivisible FL-13, Pinellas DSA, Fired Up Pinellas, American Indian Movement, CIW Farmworker Justice, Planned Parenthood, State Voices Florida, ANYTOWN, and other local organizing, voter engagement, education, and community-care efforts.
Because of Hurricane Milton damage, the Community Center needs significant repair. We are also taking this opportunity to upgrade and modernize some of the systems within the building. The work includes roof replacement above the Community Center and Nursery, wall repair and insulation work, mold-related assessment, painting and ceiling work, replacement of failed air-conditioning units, and a buyout of the church’s solar panel lease. These repairs will protect the building, restore essential systems, and keep the Community Center a comfortable space for ministry and community use.
A portion of the project funds will also be used to replace two air-conditioning units in the Sanctuary and repair or replace the damaged sunshades covering the playground.
The total projected cost of the full project is $320K. With about $70,000 in FEMA-related funding. The church approved a maximum loan of $250,000 to cover the remaining cost of the project.
Now, we are asking the Allendale community to help reduce how much we actually have to borrow.
Our goal is to raise enough money before the loan is finalized at the end of June 2026 to bring the loan amount down to $150,000 or less. Gifts made now will directly reduce the long-term financial burden on the church and help us invest more fully in hospitality and community care.
Every gift makes a difference. Whether you are part of Allendale’s congregation, attend a recovery group, gather here with a community organization, bring your family to events, rehearse music here, organize for justice, or simply believe in the kind of welcome Allendale offers, we invite you to help restore and strengthen this shared space.
Make a gift today to support the Community Center Build Back Project.